To the editor:

Domestic violence seems to be very much in the news lately. I asked a local police officer, in his estimation, how many of their domestic violence calls involved alcohol. He said his guess would be at least 75 percent.

Along with domestic violence, we see death on the highway, snowmobile accidents, boating accidents, homicides, robberies and certain other things that often seem to have alcohol involved. I would like to know how many divorces are attributed to alcohol as well.

We all see that these unfortunate deaths and accidents and domestic abuse situations will often leave one spouse or the other alone, with a couple of kids, burdened with medical and living expenses to manage on their own.

Fortunately, they may have the Department of Health and Human Services to turn to for help, but sadly, this burdens the tax system and DHHS resources.

It stands to reason then, that much of the DHHS burden is caused by alcohol. Therefore, shouldn’t we tax alcohol and have it designated as revenue for DHHS?

Ten cents on every bottle of beer is not unreasonable, is it? One dollar on every bottle of wine and hard liquor?

Our governor doesn’t want to raise taxes, and I agree in general: Don’t raise taxes on food, clothing, heating, transportation, health care and any other necessity for maintaining a decent life.

The state raised taxes on cigarettes to the of $1 a pack, citing it’s deterrent to health problems. It seems that alcohol causes much more of a financial burden to the state than cigarettes.

I brought this up to Rep. Bruce MacDonald twice in the last year. I never heard a word in response.

Know why? Raising taxes of any kind is not a very popular topic and might deter a politician from getting re-elected.

Cigarettes are easier to demonize in popular culture today, and make an easier target for tax increases without as much damage in public opinion.

Yet, DHHS, law enforcement and other agencies are still left with the burdens caused by alcohol.

It’s not a very popular subject. Raising taxes doesn’t help win re- election. But maybe someone up there in those hallowed halls of Augusta will see the reasoning to tax the culprit that is causing most of the problems.

I talked to a person who works in Augusta and was told that the liquor lobby is too strong to get any of this to fly.

I would like to think that the lobbyists are not running the state, as they seem to do in Washington.

Gerald Barlow,
Boothbay

letters@timesrecord.com